June 13, 2017
The nation’s Agricultural Secretary, Sonny Perdue, says that despite major budget cuts and plans to reorganize the department, the USDA’s Office of Rural Development remains one of his top priorities. Secretary Perdue will soon testify before the senate’s Agricultural Appropriations Committee about the proposal to cut 30 percent of the rural development budget.
In addition to cutting more than 900 staff members from the Rural Development Office, popular programs such as the value-added producer grants and business and industry loans would also be eliminated. Perdue also spoke before a meeting of Mississippi’s Delta Council, and stressed that rural development will remain one of the USDA’s top priorities.
Perdue also says that the USDA’s plans to elevate rural development includes promoting and expanding rural broadband while eliminating regulations that stifle economic growth.